oxygenation and maintance of oxygenation in the older adult?

Answer 1

Depends on why they they aren't maintaining their own oxygen saturation?

There are various reasons why oxygenation would drop, most of which are far better treated with medications instead of supplemental oxygen.

Answer 2

It would help to have a little more detail. Is this about a specific patient or for a nursing class? Generally, the best thing to do is check their respiratory rate first. Then, if you have it, use a pulse ox to check for peripheral oxygenation. Other signs and symptoms to look for in poor oxygenation would be mental status change, cyanosis, particularly around the mouth, duskiness in the skin and the way they breathe. Interventions would depend on the condition of the patient. If everything is within normal limits, they are breathing fine and there are no heart problems that would affect perfusion, we just keep an eye on them. For the lung patient, you have several options from a nasal cannula to nonrebreathers to name a few. Also, nebulizer treatments are used to keep passageways open. Incentive spirometers are very good to increase lung function in any patient. And also monitor the heart as it also affects tissue perfusion and, hence, oxygenation of peripheral tissue. The other area you also need to look at is anxiety, as this can also affect a person's breathing. The older patients I have had tend to get rather anxious when they have trouble breathing, particularly chronic COPDers. When this happens, we use medications to help calm them and slow their respiratory rate down a bit to prevent hyperventilation.

Answer 3

Oxgenation is harder for older adults their equipment (lung&heart) is tired and doesn't work as good as youthful individuals. The oxygen percentage in the blood should remain above 93% otherwise they should have supplemental oxygen prescribed by their doctor. Their hemoglobin in the red blod cells do not readily except oxygen as fast as a youthful individual. Most of these individual will become winded easyily and need a longer time to recover for high exerting movements.